Passerelles : Entretiens avec des scientifiques sur la nature de l'esprit

by Dalai Lama XIV, Jeremy W Hayward, Francisco J Varela

What is the essence of the mind? Could computers ever have consciousness? Can compassion be learned? When does consciousness enter the human embryo? These are just some of the many questions that were discussed during a historic meeting that took place between several prominent Western scientists and the Dalai Lama. Gentle Bridges is a chronicle of this extraordinary exchange of ideas.

Genres: Philosophy, Buddhism, Psychology, Nonfiction, Science

Mass Market Paperback

First published November 10, 1992

About the author

Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub), the 14th Dalai Lama, is a practicing member of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and is influential as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the world's most famous Buddhist monk, and the leader of the exiled Tibetan government in India.

Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family. He was proclaimed the tulku (an Enlightened lama who has consciously decided to take rebirth) of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.

On 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's ruler. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950. In 1954, he went to Beijing to attempt peace talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC. These talks ultimately failed.

After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him.

Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was compiled from some conversations between His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, a couple of interpreters and Buddhist scholars, and half a dozen scientists, that took place in 1987. It's very easy to read and engaging, especially because of the respect among all the participants and their sincere desire to understand the mind better. They each came with questions and ideas and share them openly which led to some very illuminating discussions.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sister gave me this for Christmas in 2007 as I'm sure I must've told her I want anything by Francisco Varela, the co-editor with Jeremy Hayward.

I'll rate it again when I get around to reading it.

I discovered a connection in 2010 while skimming a UCLA library book by Herbert Guenther, "From Reductionism to Creativity: rDzogs-chen and the New Sciences of Mind," (2001): Jeremy Hayward wrote the forward!

[soufian achhoud]

"If we lose human values & human beings become part of a machine, there is no freedom from pain & pleasure." Dalai Lama

[Aunty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I read from the Mind and Life series. Fascinating research and science presented by his guests. Great perceptive questions and insights from the Dalai Lama.

[Miki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Da leggere, rileggere e poi ancora ancora ancora!